Detergent holder on windshield wiper arm

ABSTRACT

A receptacle is mounted on an angle rod which has clamp attachment to a windshield wiper arm. A slot on the windshield side of the receptacle holds a wick. The opposite side of the receptacle is open to receive a refill cartridge comprising a detergent cage containing a detergent stick, and a hood. In rainy weather driving, or when using the washer nozzles on the car, air currents across the windshield carry rainwater into open side portions of the receptacle, dissolving some of the detergent, the solution flowing through the wick at a slow rate for release on the windshield in the area traversed by the oscillating wiper blade. The hood prevents waste of the detergent from falling rain when the car is not in use.

United States Patent Rouse Jan. 14,1975

[76] Inventor: Donald E. Rouse, 1680 W. l32nd,

Beaverton, Oreg. 97005 [22] Filed: Jan. 14, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 432,816

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 261,254, June 9,

1972, Pat. No. 3,792,506.

[52] US. Cl. 15/250.03, [5/103 [51] Int. Cl. B605 1/02 [58] Field of Search l5/250.04, 250.03, 250.02, 15/250.01, 250, 220 R, 103

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,839,484 1/1932 Keefe 15/250.03 2,381,767 8/1945 Mayer 3,103,686 9/1963 Reynolds 3,803,664 4/1974 Triplett 15/250.03

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,430,670 3/1969 Germany 15/25003 Primary Examiner-Peter Feldman Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Lee R. Schermerhorn [57] ABSTRACT A receptacle is mounted on an angle rod which has clamp attachment to a windshield wiper arm. A slot on the windshield side of the receptacle holds a wick. The opposite side of the receptacle is open to receive a refill cartridge comprising a detergent cage containing a detergent stick, and a hood. In rainy weather driving, or when using the washer nozzles on the car, air currents across the windshield carry rainwater into open side portions of the receptacle, dissolving some of the detergent, the solution flowing through the wick at a slow rate for release on the windshield in the area traversed by the oscillating wiper blade. The hood prevents waste of the detergent from falling rain when the car is not in use.

10 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures DETERGENT HOLDER ON WINDSI-IIELD WIPER ARM CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No. 261,254 filed June 9, 1972, now US. Pat. No. 3,792,506.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In said parent application the receptacle for the detergent stick has unrestricted openings on the windshield side of the receptacle and its opposite side is entirely open and exposed to falling rain. This arrangement is found to result in waste of the detergent both when the vehicle is in motion and when it is standing still. The unrestricted openings on the windshield side of the receptacle allow an unnecessarily rapid flow of dissolved detergent from the receptacle to the windshield, and the exposure of the detergent to falling rainwater on the opposite side of the receptacle provides access of too much water to the detergent both when the vehicle is moving and when it is standing still.

It is desirable to prevent falling rain from impinging directly on the detergent both when the vehicle is moving or when it is standing still in the rain. It is also desirable to restrict the escape of dissolved detergent from the receptacle to the amount actually needed to keep the windshield clean.

Objects of the invention are, therefore, to provide an improved detergent holder for mounting on a windshield wiper arm, to provide means for restricting the flow of dissolved detergent onto the windshield, to provide means for restricting the flow of wind-blown water onto the detergent stick when the vehicle is in motion, to prevent access of falling rain to the detergent when the vehicle is standing still, and to provide an improved replacement cartridge containing a solid detergent stick.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present detergent holder is adapted for mounting on a windshield wiper arm. The holder includes a receptacle for a stick of solid detergent in a position close to the windshield and alongside the wiper blade so that air currents across the windshield will blow a small amount of rainwater or nozzle-supplied wash water into the receptacle to dissolve the detergent and carry it onto the area of the glass which is swept by the wiper blade when the vehicle is in motion.

A slot on the windshield side of the receptacle contains a wick to restrict the release of detergent water from the receptacle. The opposite side of the receptacle is open to receive a detergent cage containing a stick of detergent, and a hood which prevents rain from falling on the detergent when the vehicle is not in motion. Thus, both the dissolving of the detergent and the release of the dissolved detergent onto the windshield are restricted so that the detergent is not wasted.

The invention will be better understood and additional objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment illustrated on the accompanying drawing. Various changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of parts and certain features may be used without others. All such modifications within the scope of the appended claims are included in the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a windshield wiper including an exploded view of a detergent holder embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view on the line 22 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view on the line 33 in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 4 is a view on the line 4-4 in FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 shows a conventional windshield wiper 10 having an arm 11 which is oscillated back and forth by a hub 12 mounted on the end of an oscillating drive shaft. Arm 11 is connected to a holder 13 for a flexible rubber wiper blade 14. Blade 14 is conformed to the curvature of windshield 15 by a pair of leaf springs 16.

The detergent holder comprises a receptacle 20 having an arcuate extent slightly exceeding mounted on one end of a bendable universal angle rod 21. The other end of rod 21 is connected to a female channel member 22 which is adapted to be placed over and receive the wiper arm 11. The parts 20, 21 and 22 are welded together as an integral unit, the said other end of rod 21 being welded in a groove 23 in the top or front side of channel member 22 and the said one end of rod 21 being welded in a groove 24 extending longitudinally along a lip on a side edge of receptacle 20.

Channel member 22 has rolled edges 25 forming channelled flanges to slidably receive a male channel member 30 underlying the arm 11.. Tapped holes 31 receive setscrews 32 which clamp against the under or rear side of wiper arm 11. As the setscrews are tightened, longitudinal edge portions 33 of channel member 30 seat in the channelled edges 25 of channel member 22 to provide secure clamping action on the arm 11 as shown in FIG. 2. Rod 21 is bendable by the user so that receptacle 20 may be positioned alongside and parallel to the wiper blade 14 regardless of whether blade 14 parallels the arm 11 as shown or extends at an angle to arm 11 as in the case of some wipers.

The open side of receptacle 20 faces forward and upward, away from the windshield, and its underside adjacent the windshield contains a longitudinal slot 35. The ends of receptacle 20 are rolled inward to provide retaining flanges at 36. A detergent impregnated wick of felted synthetic fiber is inserted in slot 35. Wick 40 has overhanging end portions 41 which rest on seats or ledges 42 at the ends of slot 35 to prevent the wick from falling through the slot. Preferably, the slot 35 includes side walls 43 to assist in reatining and supporting the wick.

A detergent stick 45 comprising a mixture of soap and solid detergent is insertable lengthwise into a cylindrical detergent cage 46. Cage 46 contains a longitudinal slot 47 in its underside and a plurality of transverse slots 48 in its upper side. The cage: is preferably slightly longer than the detergent stick.

The detergent stick 45 and cage 46 are held in receptacle 20 by a curved hood 50. Hood 50 is of less arcuate extent than the open side of receptacle 20 so as to leave gaps or slot openings 51 between the two members as shown in FIG. 4. Hood 50 has resilient circular ends 52 which have a snap fit in receptacle 20 and engage inside the end flanges 36 on receptacle 20 with a frictional fit. Since the arcuate extent of receptacle 20 slightly exceeds 180, the sides of the receptacle, which are resilient, must be sprung apart slightly to receive the circular ends 52 which are then gripped by the receptacle.

The inside surfaces of end portions 52 of the hood are provided with bosses 53 which engage in the open ends of cage 46 with a snap fit whereby the parts are held in assembled relation with the arcuate hood 50 spaced a short distance above the cage 46 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

When the vehicle is not in use, hood 50 shields the detergent stick from falling rain so that the detergent is not wasted. When the vehicle is in motion, a small amount of water from falling rain or windshield washer nozzles on the vehicle is carried by transverse air currents across the windshield into the gaps or slots 51. Water entering the slots 51 enters the cage 46 through transverse slots 48 and flows around the detergent stick 45, dissolving some of the detergent.

This detergent impregnated water escapes through longitudinal slot 47 in the cage to the wick 40 from whence it is slowly dispensed onto the windshield. The wick regulates the detergent flow so that the detergent is not washed away in excessive quantity. Wick 40 does not touch the windshield but merely releases the detergent water drop by drop onto the glass slongside wiper blade 14 where it is most effective in its cleaning action. The spacing of wick 40 from the windshield 15 is illustrated in FIG. 4.

Although detergent stick 45 is the only consumable part of the attachment, it is preferred to supply refill units consisting of detergent stick 45 pre-assembled in cage 46 and hood 50 for the convenience of the user. This unit is readily insertable into receptacle 20 in place of a unit wherein the original detergent stick has been dissolved away, without requiring any mechanical skill on the part of the user.

The refill or replacement package also preferably includes a new wick 40 which is pre-impregnated with detergent so that the wick will release detergent without delay as soon as some water passes through it.

Having now described my invention and in what manner the same may be used, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A detergent holder for a windshield wiper comprising an elongated receptacle having an open forward side and a longitudinal slot in its rear side, a wick in said slot, a detergent stick in said receptacle, a hood overlying said open forward side of said receptacle to shield said detergent stick from falling rain, the opposite sides of said hood being spaced away from the sides of said receptacle to provide lateral gaps for the lateral entrance of water into said receptacle as a result of air currents across the windshield when a vehicle carrying said wiper and detergent holder is in motion, and means for mounting said receptacle on the windshield wiper with said wick spaced away from the windshield.

2. A detergent holder as defined in claim 1 including a detergent cage holding said detergent stick in said receptacle.

3. A detergent holder as defined in claim 2, said cage, detergent stick and hood comprising a replaceable unit which is bodily insertable in and removable from said receptacle.

4. A detergent holder as defined in claim 2, said cage comprising a cylindrical member, said hood having end portions with bosses interfitting with the ends of said cage, and said receptacle having end flanges engaging said end portions of said hood to hold said detergent stick, cage, hood and receptacle in assembled relation.

5. A detergent holder as defined in claim 4, said cage having open ends and end portions of said hood retaining said detergent stick in said cage.

6. A detergent holder as defined in claim 2, said cage comprising a cylindrical member with a longitudinal slot in one side facing said longitudinal slot in said receptacle, and transverse slots in its opposite side facing said hood.

7. A detergent holder as defined in claim 1, said wick having end extensions supporting the ends of the wick on ledges at the ends of said slot in said receptacle.

8. A detergent holder as defined in claim 1, said means for mounting said receptacle on the windshield wiper comprising a bendable rod having one end welded to said receptacle and an opposite end welded to a wiper arm clamp.

9. A detergent holder as defined in claim 8, said wiper arm clamp comprising a female channel member adapted to receive a windshield wiper arm, a male channel member adapted for insertion in said female channel member underlying said arm, setscrews in said male channel member arranged to clamp said arm, and inturned flanges on opposite sides of said female channel retaining said male channel member.

10. A detergent holder as defined in claim 8 including grooves in said receptacle and clamp, the opposite ends of said rod being welded in said grooves. 

1. A detergent holder for a windshield wiper comprising an elongated receptacle having an open forward side and a longitudinal slot in its rear side, a wick in said slot, a detergent stick in said receptacle, a hood overlying said open forward side of said receptacle to shield said detergent stick from falling rain, the opposite sides of said hood being spaced away from the sides of said receptacle to provide lateral gaps for the lateral entrance of water into said receptacle as a result of air currents across the windshield when a vehicle carrying said wiper and detergent holder is in motion, and means for mounting said receptacle on the windshield wiper with said wick spaced away from the windshield.
 2. A detergent holder as defined in claim 1 including a detergent cage holding said detergent stick in said receptacle.
 3. A detergent holder as defined in claim 2, said cage, detergent stick and hood comprising a replaceable unit which is bodily insertable in and removable from said receptacle.
 4. A detergent holder as defined in claim 2, said cage comprising a cylindrical member, said hood having end portions with bosses interfitting with the ends of said cage, and said receptacle having end flanges engaging said end portions of said hood to hold said detergent stick, cage, hood and receptacle in assembled relation.
 5. A detergent holder as defined in claim 4, said cage having open ends and end portions of said hood retaining said detergent stick in said cage.
 6. A detergent holder as defined in claim 2, said cage comprising a cylindrical member with a longitudinal slot in one side facing said longitudinal slot in said receptacle, and transverse slots in its opposite side facing said hood.
 7. A detergent holder as defined in claim 1, said wick having end extensions supporting the ends of the wick on ledges at the ends of said slot in said receptacle.
 8. A detergent holder as defined in claim 1, said means for mounting said receptacle on the windshield wiper comprising a bendable rod having one end welded to said receptacle and an opposite end welded to a wiper arm clamp.
 9. A detergent holder as defined in claim 8, said wiper arm clamp comprising a female channel member adapted to receive a windshield wiper arm, a male channel member adapted for insertion in said female channel member underlying said arm, setscrews in said male channel member arranged to clamp said arm, and inturned flanges on opposite sides of said female channel retaining said male channel member.
 10. A detergent holder as defined in claim 8 including grooves in said receptacle and clamp, the opposite ends of said rod being welded in said grooves. 